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CATHERINE E. SHOICHETStore owners who process prescription orders for the drugs say they won't accept cease-and-desist notices from state health officials.
A week after the state began cracking down on storefronts that process prescriptions for imported drugs from Canada, most of the stores are still open - and their owners are ready to fight back.
"I'm going to do what I have to do to make sure this is done right and done for the people," said George Donnelly, who owns Canada Drugs of Spring Hill. "I'm here to take care of this and fight for it."
At least a dozen storefront owners received cease-and-desist notices from the Department of Health last Friday, ordering the stores to stop "illegal and unlicensed activity pertaining to the practice of pharmacy."
Donnelly did not receive one of those notices. But he said he will be among about 50 merchants meeting in Lakeland on Monday to discuss "how to keep the storefronts in business."
In the past, owners of the storefronts - which have cropped up across the state in the wake of skyrocketing prescription drug prices - were linked only through informal connections of franchises and friendships.
But at Monday's meeting, a more formal alliance could be created, said Peggy Emhardt, owner of Discount Canadian Meds Direct in Spring Hill.
"The goal is so we are all on the same page to secure legal counsel and hopefully fight legislation," said Emhardt, who received a cease-and-desist notice, but whose store is still open.
"There's a better chance if we take a stand as a group," said Melinda Liddy, owner of Discount Medicine of Canada in Lakeland, which also has remained open despite receiving a cease-and-desist notice.
Though they are run by a variety of individuals and franchises, most storefronts work the same way. Customers bring in prescriptions from their doctors, which the stores send to pharmacies in Canada. The Canadian pharmacies bill customers directly and send the medicine directly to their homes. For each prescription filled, the storefronts receive a commission from the Canadian pharmacies.
Some customers pay as much as 50 percent less for prescription medications from Canada. Department of Health officials say these consumers are taking a risk, but storefront owners point to a recent General Accounting Office report that found that some Canadian pharmacies had stricter standards than those in the United States.
Department of Health spokeswoman Jackie DePietre said the cease-and-desist notices are handled on a case-by-case basis.
"Any time we hear about unlicensed activity in the state of Florida, we will take action," she said. "We believe that not only are they advertising as pharmacies, but they're also practicing as pharmacies. Our biggest concern at this point is the safety of individuals. We need to make sure that any business acting as a pharmacy is regulated."
Owners of the storefronts say they are merely providing a faxing service, as they do not store or receive prescription drugs.
Shelley Kauzlaric, owner of Dunedin Meds of Canada, said her store has received numerous calls from concerned customers, even though she didn't receive a cease-and-desist notice.
"They're so afraid we're going to be closed," she said. "You can be assured that the storefronts are going to band together. What we need to think through as a group is where do we direct all the seniors."
In the meantime, owners have been urging their customers to contact government officials.
"Just in this area alone we probably have collectively over 2,000 (customers) that we talk to. That's a lot of people," Donnelly said. "We're going to send out letters. We're going to let them (government officials) know what we think."
Customer Nelson Simmons, 74, said he is ready to take a stand.
"I'm not against people making profits, but I think the drug companies have gone overboard. This is wrong," he said. Simmons said he saved nearly $500 in his latest purchase from Dunedin Meds of Canada. "I'm waiting to have the dust settle," he said, "and then I'm going to start calling people in our government . . . we have to retaliate in any way we can."
But not all merchants are planning to fight back.
"We're just kind of riding it out," said Charmaine Schiavone, who owns Canada Drugs of Hernando in Spring Hill.
Hans Jenau, owner of Canada Rx in Oviedo, said the potential price of losing a costly battle with the state is too high.
"We will not fight the state law even though we feel it's not right," Jenau said. "I don't talk with my competition and I really don't care too much what they do. . . . I'm not going to take chances, because I've seen what happened to others in other states."